Elementa Tractatori- The Element Manipulator
by LiveLaughLoveFangirl
Summary: Being in a world where you don't belong in is a reality many don't go through. That reality is very real for Kari. Kidnapped at a young age, Kari has been through many events in her life, each event twisting her perception of the world. Follow her as she attempts to make it in the world, hunted by soldiers and trying to get to the her and the world's last hope: The Avatar
1. Chapter 1

Prologue- 100 AG- 16 Years:

 **In the darkest times, hope is something you have to give yourself**

Food…

So thirsty…

It hurts…

Am I going to die here?

No I refuse to.

I am not dying in this damn forest.

 **My name is Kari.**

My first interaction with fire was when I was 3 years old. I was surrounded by a bright gold and black that adorned the clothing of the men around me. They were yelling and I remember a fancy man with a red, gold, and black helmet letting a bird into the sky. He then bent down to my level, a pleasant smile on his face.

" _You will behave yes_?" He whispered, holding a dancing flame close to my face.

At 6 years old, I was crying and holding out a shriveled up blue flower that had once resembled my eyes. A blue flame had put it out and I immediately had run to my kind mother.

"Mother! Mother! She burned it! Azula burned it!"

"A Waterbender! She's a Waterbender!" I heard the gasps and whispers around me as I defiantly stared into those cold, golden eyes of the Fire Lord. Zuko lay behind me clutching his eye in pain and the pot holding the water had fallen on the platform. At 13 years old, I had extinguished fire.

"Throw her in prison"

Fire chased me now as I narrowly dodged its burning touch. It hit a tree instead and lit it on fire, a glowing ember in the inky darkness of the night. How ironic, my only source of light was the thing I should be running from. The moon's comforting light was lost in the vast swathe of trees around me.

I ran quickly to the river in front of me ducking and not even slowing down for the branches that scratched my cheek. I stumbled into the open and I felt moonlight glowing on my back. It illuminated the river in an ethereal glow.

"Got you now!" I turned around to see 4 Fire Nation soldiers in battle stances and I smirked feeling the moon glowing above me and I lifted my arms. I felt the water lift up behind me and spiral around my arms. The soldiers took a step back and I smiled.

"No, I've got you"

I held a hand to my stomach as I walked through the village in my bright red clothing. Damn, I needed some food in me now. I felt bad for the woman who had owned these clothes previously but I couldn't walk into a Fire nation town in distinctly blue clothing.

"Ah, milady, would you like to buy a flower? A Fire Lily maybe?" A vendor said pleasantly as I passed by but I simply shook my head and tugged at the dress I was wearing. Compared to the loose fitting tunic I usually wore, this red dress felt like it was hugging me too much. Complete with red flats and a golden bracelet, I looked like a Fire Nation Citizen. But when I passed by soldiers who were patrolling the area, I tugged my cloak around me tightly.

I quickly pulled out some coins at the next food cart and bought some snacks and water, sipping the latter as I walked around the village. I couldn't stop thinking about my hidden items back in a tree trunk that I had carved out and sealed with ice. Hopefully, no soldier had noticed the ice as they patrolled the forest.

When I had gotten what I had needed, I hurried back to the tree with a bag that I had used almost all of my (stolen) coins on. With one single motion of my arm, the ice melted and fell to the ground.

I stripped and pulled on some baggy pants, my blue tunic and belt. I secured two knives that I had stolen and shoved them into their spots on the belt before pulling my cloak on once more. I shoved the extra food and water into the bag along with my clothing and slung my canteen of water over my shoulder. I pulled on snug black boots and checked to make sure my stolen map and waterbending scrolls were secure.

I started moving quickly through the trees avoiding any soldier that I came too close to. I stopped for a moment however as I observed a soldier walking through the trees a few yards away from me. I needed a map desperately if I wanted a chance in getting out of this nation. My best hope was the Fire Nation Colonies and from there laid the Earth Kingdom or the Northern Water Tribe. If I could just get there, I could at least stop looking over my shoulder.

In one swift movement, I stood back up and tiptoed slowly until I was behind the soldier. My foot found a spare twig that snapped immediately and the soldier stiffened. His hands lit up with that familiar ember glow and he was whipping around but my hand was much quicker. It descended upon his neck, knocking him out and leaving him to collapse on the ground.

I crouched beside him and unbuckled the armor around his waist aside revealing a few documents shoved inside his pockets. I grabbed them quickly and held them up to the moonlight, examining them. The first document was an identification document. Jian from the colonies huh?

I swallowed. Sorry Jian.

I threw the document aside before examining the next couple. One was troop patterns, particularly his. Good, I needed that. Then there was that map of the Fire Nation I desperately had needed. Others were executive orders.

Jian here was ordered to patrol these villages and help with the collection of taxes. He also had a wanted poster for the Avatar. I couldn't help the bitter smile that spread across my face. The Avatar huh? Just 100 years late to the party isn't he? Another had my face printed on it.

I actually felt quite proud when I saw the words "Dangerous Criminal Escaped. Powerful Waterbender" The bounty actually was nice and reasonable too. It was quite the reward they had for me. Although, if I had seen my face printed on a wanted poster 3 years ago, I probably would have been incredibly upset.

No matter, dwelling on the past did no good. I stuffed all the documents beside Jians' personal executive order and his identification document. I contemplated taking the Avatar poster and my own but instead I stuffed the Avatar's wanted poster into my bag and my own wanted poster back into Jians' pockets.

I didn't know if Jian was smart enough to realize that if the Avatar and my own wanted poster were taken and the Avatar was far away from the Fire Nation, who would take the wanted posters in order to conceal their identity? It would obviously the girl in the wanted poster.

I stood up and buckled Jians' armor back up. No need to let him know that his papers were missing until he really needed them. I then started moving once more, delving deeper and deeper into the forest and away from the villages.

Once I could no longer see the faint trails of smoke from the villages or hear the sounds of laughter, I stopped by a river and slumped down a tree. I tilted my head back staring up at the moon and it stared back with a cold but comforting gaze.

Maybe I overthought the whole poster thing. That's what Zuko always said. 'Stop overthinking everything' He had always told me and I would always tell him that if I didn't overthink, I wouldn't be able to get every possibly scenario. He would always get silent and say 'But then you would never get the simple solution' Then it would be my turn to be silent.

I spent 3 years alternating from prison to prison waiting patiently for my opportunity to escape. My overthinking of the whole process allowed me to account for everything and I managed to get out. At what cost though? I failed to realize that all I had to do was bend the water from the trees once I had gotten out of my handcuffs and I could take out every guard using windows. Instead, I had engaged in a battle that left me almost dead.

It had been just a few months since then and I had concentrated on honing my waterbending abilities. Unfortunately, the scrolls could only take me so far. I needed a real waterbending master. But in this fiery nation with the cold waters of the North Pole too far away, that hope was slipping away from me. I did what I could, combining the simplest of firebending moves with my own waterbending. It was a work in progress since fire bending was the complete opposite of waterbending but those moves combined with the ones I had learned from the scrolls would get me somewhere.

I felt sleep ensnaring me in its whispering fingers so I decided to let it take over and I relaxed, closing my eyes and I hoped that no one found me while I dreamed.

 _ **So it's been a really long time since I published a story. My friend and I co-owned this account went through some tough times and we are no longer friends so it was pretty hard. Hopefully, this new story will renew my love of writing once more! Hugs and cookies to you all if you review so please do! Thanks!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1 – 13 Years: 36 Months to Escape

Red dotted my vision as my head banged against the tree and I groaned, slumping down it. I wiped the blood out of my eyes and glanced wearily at the martial artist in front of me.

He scowled "Again. This time, attack me like you are trying"

I wanted to punch him so badly. But I got back up instead and readied myself, pushing my braid behind my shoulder and attacked him once more. I rushed him and he threw his hand out to punch me but I flipped over and brought my hand up to hit him only for him to block it in one swift motion. I gritted my teeth as I felt my feet slipping from underneath me and I tried to bring my foot up to kick him in the face in a uppercut but he grabbed my foot and flipped me.

My breath got knocked out of me as I hit the ground on my back gasping in pain. I could hear Azula laughing cruelly from a few yards away where she was training with her firebending instructor, her 5th one that year. I got back up shakily looking at my martial arts instructor who nodded.

"You improved a little bit. Now, practice the moves I taught you today. When I see you tomorrow, they must be perfect." He ordered before walking off and I stretched. I pulled out the rubber band holding my braid in and sat down near the pond redoing my braid and glancing over at Zuko and Azulas' training.

Zuko was struggling with some forms whereas Azula went through her moves perfectly, her blue fire blasting at the perfect focus and perfect speed. I frowned before looking back at the turtleducks in the pond. One of the baby ones came near me and I smiled softly reaching out with one finger and it gently nipped my finger seeing if I had bread.

"Your life is so simple isn't it?" I cooed softly as I gently stroked its head and it cooed happily, its mother observing from a distance cautiously. "A mom that loves you and siblings that you can always play with" It swam away after a bit and I sighed leaning back.

"Unlike our dysfunctional family" I mumbled under my breath before standing back up to practice my forms once more. Might as well get them perfect, its not like there is anything better to do.

After a few hours or so, my muscles were practically screaming with pain so I finally stopped and glanced up at the afternoon sun. It burned in the sky above me and it felt like I was being burnt alive. I wasn't Fire Nation, that was probably why I felt that way.

Water Tribe at birth but Fire Nation at heart, my mother Princess Ursa had always teased me gently tapping my chest. Well, my adoptive mother now. She explained to me 2 years ago that I was adopted into the family and was raised with the purpose to be a diplomat to other nations once the Fire Nation won the war. However, I was put through extensive weapons training and martial arts in order to make up for my lack of bending ability.

Or that's what they thought. I discovered I could bend at the age of 7 years old when I had snuck out and spent some time out under the full moon beside the pond. It had this 'pull' to it and I simply followed it and discovered my bending ability. Of course, Zuko discovered my ability as well and like the good friend he is, he swore to keep it a secret. Ever since, I carefully bent water in my room every full moon learning the push and pull of waterbending.

I smiled realizing that tonight was the full moon and I would be able to waterbend once more. I slipped into a daydream about trying to master some of the more difficult moves with waterbending scrolls I had stolen from the archived section of the library.

"You're daydreaming again" I heard someone say and I turned behind me to see Zuko standing there frowning and I smiled sheepishly at him "Hehe~" I stopped smiling when I saw his serious expression but especially the frustration and disappointment in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly leaning against the tree and blowing a strand of hair out of my eyes. "I can't get these stupid moves! They're the most basic for the advanced moves and I just can't get them!" He stomped his foot on the ground, fire emanating from that spot and leaving burned grass when he moved away.

"You need to have patience-" I started but Zuko glared at me as if daring me to continue the sentence that I always started my motivational speeches with. I gave him a weary stare before glancing up at the sun.

"Look, you're rushing yourself, plain and simple" I stated watching the clouds drift by slowly. "You can't expect results this quickly. That and you're putting yourself down" Zuko opened his mouth to protest but he closed it when I looked at him with a stare that told him to shut up and listen.

"You look at Azula and put yourself down. You take our father's words to heart and you are getting nowhere as long as you keep a wall around your confidence. You are good at things, I have seen your expertise with certain firebending moves and those dual swords Master Piandao gave you?" I smirked lightly "You could kick Azulas butt in swordsmanship"

Zuko looked at me and for a moment his eyes gleamed with a hint of accomplishment and confidence but it quickly vanished as he turned to watch Azula practicing her firebending moves. I sighed before hitting the back of his head.

"Hey!" His temper flared up as he whipped around and glared at me "What was that for?" He yelled as I stood there calmly. I was very used to Zukos temper. "Just get to work on your moves"

Zuko glared at me, still mad about my "special way" of distracting him and I glared right back. He eventually broke the glaring contest and got to work on that one firebending move that he had trouble with and I went back to practicing my martial arts move.

After a few minutes I heard a whoop behind me and I turned around to see Zuko grinning at the sparks of fire that were fading away "I got it Kari, want to see?" Zuko said and I nodded. He performed the move perfectly and I imagined him sweeping someone's feet out from under them and gaining the upper ground.

I found myself smiling stupidly at the scene as Zuko finished up the move and gave me a warm smile. "Thanks for the help" He said before getting back to his firebending moves. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I turned away clicking my tongue and ignoring those butterflies in my stomach.

Stupid fire benders and their stupid fire….

 **Hi guys I'm back! Hopefully I didn't make you wait too long but here is the next chapter! Review and get a cookie :)**


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